By PON_News
Notts County reclaimed their status as the ‘world’s oldest football league club’ after beating Chesterfield on penalties in an astonishing National League promotion final at Wembley.
Substitute goalkeeper Archie Mair saved spot-kicks from Darren Oldaker and Jeff King before Cedwyn Scott sealed a dramatic 4-3 shoot-out triumph. Victory for the 161-year-old Magpies ended their four-year non-league exile while defeat consigned Chesterfield to a sixth season in the National League.
Chesterfield took the lead early on when Andrew Dallas put them ahead from the spot after a calamitous start from Notts goalkeeper Sam Slocombe.
Notts veteran John Bostock caught Chesterfield goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons out with a set-piece that skipped in at the near post to level the score.
Armando Dobra restored Chesterfield’s lead in the first period of extra time, but Ruben Rodrigues bounced a volley off the turf and over Fitzsimons to level at 2-2 in the second half of extra time, ensuring the showdown would be decided from the spot.
After four years and three failed play-off attempts, Notts finally secured their English Football League (EFL) return at the end of a record-breaking season.
Luke Williams’ side were pipped for automatic promotion and the title by Hollywood-funded Wrexham, who topped the table with an all-time high 111 points. The 107 points the Magpies collected to finish second would have got them straight up as champions in every other season before this one.
Chesterfield finished one spot below Notts in the table, but the gap between the two was 23 points. They pushed Notts to their limits at Wembley in an incredible energy-sapping game.
On-loan keeper Mair played an instrumental role off the bench with his penalty saves and Scott kept his cool to secure victory.
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